1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus to recognize actions of a user and to have those actions correspond to specific computer functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many people find it difficult to use computers because of problems operating current input devices such as a keyboard or a mouse. This includes users with physical disabilities, young children and people who have never learned to use a computer but find themselves confronted with one at a public kiosk or similar workstation. Alternative input devices have been developed, such as touch screens and single-switch devices, but these have two distinct disadvantages. First, they rely on physical devices that often must be carefully setup for the user, and are prone to damage or vandalism in public places. Second, they do not allow the full range of expression needed to effectively interact with current computer applications.
It is therefore desirable to provide a means to allow people to use computer systems without the use of physical interface devices. Many methods have been explored to allow users to interact with machines by way of gestures and movements using cameras. Most of these methods, however, have one or more of several limitations. Either they are very limited in the type of gesture they can recognize, they require extensive customization for a specific user, they are not robust in the face of environmental conditions, they are not reliable or they require extensive user training. A robust, flexible and user friendly method and apparatus is needed to allow a computer to recognize a wide range of user actions using a camera.